Kemba and J-Lin; The 1-2 Punch Through 4 Preseason Games

If you recall, I ran an article before the season began, discussing how Kemba and Lin could be the 1-2 punch that the Hornets needed at the point guard spot.  I compared numbers and illustrated that there should be very little drop off, if any, when Lin came in for Kemba.  Well, that was using last season’s numbers.  Now we have a 4-game preseason sample of data to see how that combo is working out.

A few circumstances have altered the overall situation in comparing numbers.  The Hornets’ plan was to have Kemba at point guard, Batum at shooting guard, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at small forward, Cody Zeller or Marvin Williams, at power forward, and Al Jefferson at center.  In one quick slip, MKG took a fall and landed on his shoulder in a way that dislocated his shoulder and tore his labrum.  The result was surgery that has MKG out for the next 6 month.

So what are the Hornets doing?  Well, the lineup is not what they had planned on.  Fortunately, Nic Batum can play at the small forward position, and we have plenty of guards that can fill the need at shooting guard.  So who starts at the shooting guard position?  We have seen Jeremy Lamb and Jeremy Lin both at that spot.  This is where the number skew begins.  Lin at the 2 creates a rather small back court.  Kemba is a solid 6’ tall and Lin is 6’3”.  It is definitely something that could possibly work for the Hornets as we would be very fast on the court.  We have Brian Roberts who can back up Kemba, as well as Aaron Harrison who could play the 1 or the 2, should it come down to it.  We also have Troy Daniels that can cover some time at the 2, as well as PJ Hairston who can cover some time at the 2 or the 3 position.

I say it’s time to share some numbers through these 4 preseason games.  I share them in part to show that the Hornets, who are 4-0 in the preseason, are finding ways to make it work with the players they have.  I show these numbers also to show what Kemba and J-Lin are actually producing instead of just season averages.  I’m the biggest advocate for proving that “fit” on a team means the world to players.  With the numbers I’m about to share, if you went back and looked at the averages for these guys from my last article, some are down and others are up, but the biggest standout at this point is that depending on what you want from your point guard, Lin is standing out to be putting up the stronger numbers.  And the numbers are:

Obviously, these numbers will continue to change as it is merely preseason data from 4 games.  Take your pick on who you want as the starting point guard.  I understand that Kemba is the guy that the Hornets want to be starting the games, and he provides more assists and better free throw shooting, but Lin has been the more accurate shooter from the floor and from 3-point land, as well as grabbing slightly more rebounds.  Again, I state that these numbers are slightly skewed since Lin started a game at shooting guard.

These guys are 2 that I will continue to monitor as the season gets going.  I think that it is wonderful that the team has so much depth now.  It’s great to see the great fit all of the new players seem to have on this team.  Lin looks right at home at this point, and I’m hoping that his solid game play continues.  I also hope that Michael Jordan’s comment that Jeremy Lin might have been the Hornets most important acquisition in the offseason rings loud and clear.  I’ll come out and say it; if Jeremy Lin keeps playing like he is; I hope the team locks him down for many more years at a salary worthy of the numbers he’s producing right now.

Lin-fected

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I’m a newly infected Lin fan.  I was Tweeting back on July 2^nd, while on vacation, wondering where Lin was and asking and praying that the Hornets could possibly get him after we were fairly sure Mo Williams would be gone from the team.  You’ve also probably seen my homage to Lin’s hair.  I like the guy.  He gives this team something that it has lacked for the past decade.  Like it or not, we haven’t had a player with the personality, likability, and marketability that he has, ever.  It’s the truth.  Kemba, Al, and MKG are great guys, but, in my eye, they don’t “pop” like J-Lin does.  Jeremy can help the Hornets build their niche in the NBA.  I refuse to say that I’ve caught Linsanity because I don’t want those days to put any extra pressure on the guy.  I’ll just say that I studied the guy on and off the court, and the result is that I understand what his millions of fans see and love in him and I believe that the Hornets have finally been blessed with a player that it can embrace and relate to.  Yes, I believe that the Queen City is lucky to now be Lin-fected, and I hope there’s no cure in sight.

As Always…

Let’s Go Hornets!